Carney questions Barba ban

Former winger Brian Carney has questioned the decision by the NRL to effectively hand Ben Barba a lifetime ban.

Barba has been suspended from playing in the NRL again, and it appears he will be unable to go back to the UK and play in the English Super League either.

Carney, the ex-Newcastle Knights winger who is now a TV pundit, said he was against the "mechanics" of how the NRL decided to act on Barba.

"I have a problem with the mechanics of the decision making in the NRL, how they came to this decision to give him a lifetime ban," he told Sky Sports News.

"I can read you a quote from 12 months ago where Todd Greenberg didn't believe in rubbing people out of the game for their lifetime. Look at the Matthew Lodge incident in New York where he terrorised a family and a nine year old child."

"Greenberg said publically that rugby league is a sport that gives people who have committed grave errors a second chance so my problem is that, while there is still a police investigation into this incident, the NRL have issued a lifetime ban for the first time in the competition's history.

"They have set a precedent now, pulled it out of nowhere. I believe they have been too reactionary on this and they have been followed by the Super League and the RFL governing bodies.

"I would prefer to see a more patient and calm approach to dealing with this situation, press pause, allow the proper authorities to conduct a full investigation and then make a decision.

"Of course, what he is alleged to have done, I abhor that, it goes without saying, but I have a massive problem with the mechanics of the NRL decision making process."